In the last 50 years, levels of plant-available nitrogen and phosphorous have doubled worldwide. This additional supply of plant nutrients is predicted to be one of the three most important causes of biodiversity loss in this century, says Hector.

For the first time, the research, under the leadership of Professor Hector, shows the exact mechanisms that lead to the loss of biodiversity from grasslands following fertilization. Read more . . .

Growing Power, Inc. transforms communities by supporting people from diverse backgrounds and the environments in which they live through the development of Community Food Systems. These systems provide high-quality, safe, healthy, affordable food for all residents in the community. Growing Power develops Community Food Centers, as a key component of Community Food Systems, through training, active demonstration, outreach, and technical assistance.

Will Allen, chief executive officer, says: “If people can grow safe, healthy, affordable food, if they have access to land and clean water, this is transformative on every level in a community. I believe we cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.”

Our goal is a simple one: to grow food, to grow minds, and to grow community. Growing Power began with a farmer, a plot of land, and a core group of dedicated young people. Today, our love of the land and our dedication to sharing knowledge are changing lives.

The soybean checkoff will provide nearly $160,000 in funding to Field to Market,  whose steering committee is a diverse group of grower organizations, agribusinesses, food companies and conservation groups.

As part of a broader effort to measure and support agriculture’s progress against key environmental and socioeconomic sustainability indicators, Field to Market will provide farmers an online source to gauge the sustainability of their operations and access information on practices that can improve their efficiency and protect their local environment. 

In this feature article, “Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?” Brown reveals that the biggest threat to global political stability is the potential for food crises in poor countries to cause government collapse. Those crises are brought on by rising demand and ever worsening environmental degradation.

“In the twentieth century, dramatic rises in grain prices resulted from poor harvests. They were event driven and short-lived,” Brown says. “In contrast, the recent escalation in world grain prices is trend-driven, making it unlikely to reverse the rise in food prices without a reversal in the trends themselves.” Read the article . . .